Book Reviews

“If you have ever wondered if you could ever get over an issue in your life, then you have come to the right place to make that happen. No longer will you be stuck with the feeling that your past holds you back from your future. Freedom Writing guides you beyond all of your fears, worries, pains, and limiting beliefs to show you how amazing you truly are! Share this book with everyone you love and everyone you hate. Make a difference! Begin writing your own freedom story. This book drives home one point very clearly: You are loved!”

Writing therapy wasn’t an expression I’d come across three decades ago when I was teenager, setting pen to paper, wrestling with difficult emotions. Writing was just a way to put down what I felt in order to let go of the events, to release them from the burden of memory.

To see books such as Suzanne Strong’s Freedom Writing now written about an activity I fell towards by instinct is succour for the soul. Suzanne’s book tells me writing therapy is very much a recognised way of coping with trauma. In the process of articulating our shock, grief, fear or hatred, we find a way to release these burdens from our heavy-hearted souls.

In Suzanne’s methodology, this process is enjoined to a larger one of healing, hope and forgiveness. In her prose style, Suzanne cultivates an atmosphere of enthusiasm, compassion and empathy. Early in the book I read, ‘Know you are safe, you are valued, cared for by myself and others in your life.’ This sentence sets the tone for the rest of the book, wherein we find affirmations, and encouraging words of comfort.

The closing passage reads, ‘I applaud you for being brave, go forward confidently into your future. It is bright.’ Here, then, is a book that doesn’t just deliver writing exercises, but frames them in refreshingly positive, life-affirming values.

“I started writing since young, but I stopped writing “personal stuff” after my best friend in school read my diary. I no longer felt safe to write anything too personal. But at the beginning of this year something very traumatic happened and I couldn’t put it out of my head until I sat down to write freely what I was feeling. It was the only thing that brought me some relief from that traumatic accident.

This book really validated what writing did for me and thanks to the author I’ll now write regularly again. Recently I just wrote my first poem in a long time, not for anyone to read but for myself as I was going through some personal challenges. Thank you for rekindling my love of writing and this time I’m writing for myself to be better. And for those who are still hesitating, pick up your pen today and experience the healing power of writing for yourself.”

Full disclosure – I am a self-avowed personal development / self-help junkie. Life has always been good – I just enjoy doing what I can to be a better version of myself.

So I was a bit skeptical at first, because I’m not so sure I actually need any type of “therapy.” This is me, dialoguing with myself: “So I’ve had a great life. I’ve made a decent living. I’ve got a great wife and kids. I’m happy most of the time except when I’m sleeping, and then I’m asleep. So why would I need any type of therapy at all, including writing therapy?”

The answer is in my introduction above – as a guy who wants to improve himself, certainly there were/are areas in my life that could have been better. Maybe I didn’t always do my best job as a parent and husband. I remember clearly not giving 100% in school, because I had the brains to get by without working hard. Maybe life dealt me a couple of blows and I’ve just hidden those memories. And whether I know it or not, those old hidden memories are probably blocks to my living an even better life today.

For someone else, it could be about addressing an issue they are living with currently. For me, it’s about taking some of the things in my life that maybe didn’t go right, or maybe I didn’t handle as well as I could have, and changing the script. How powerful is that – I can simply re-write the scripts of parts of my life, make them flow better and end better, so today’s version of me functions better because of the newfound knowledge that I’ve ALWAYS functioned better.

The Good: Clear, concise, makes its point, and presents some absolutely unique principles. Well, the author cites other books on the same subject, but this one is the first I’ve read and the last I need…Recommendation: If you are facing any type of challenges in your life, you should consider this approach and this book will help. If your life is generally good and you have no challenges, go back and read my personal observations – this book can help you no matter how things are going in your life.

“There’s much to gain from reading this book and help to be had. What I particularly liked was the part about words and the fact that once you put a word out there, there’s no taking it back. Words create reactions, realities, and can do harm but they can also do the world of good. Freedom writing is therapeutic and the best part about it is it’s safe; no one has to see what you have to say for it to benefit your heart and soul. Like breathing, drinking water, and listening to soothing music, some of the best things in life are free. Add freedom writing to this list.”

“Writing down your problems or struggles is not a new concept, I’ve come across it many times but never actually did it. I hoped buying this book would encourage me, and it did. Myself, like many other people in the world don’t feel able to talk about my feelings so writing them down instead can be therapeutic. It’s a release, even if no one ever sees the writing, you have somehow helped to unburden yourself, although it took time to get to the writing exercises I did find them useful. If you haven’t tried it before it may help you.”

“Writing through your thoughts and feeling can bring about a release according to Suzanne Strong, a journalist, writer, and teacher of writing therapy workshops. In Freedom Writing, Suzanne includes methods of writing therapy, benefits, exercises and shares her own experiences as well as some of her workshop attendees.

For survivors of sexual abuse or assault, which suggests a more targeted approach, Suzanne’s designed a tailored set of writing exercises. She says writing therapy is not a replacement for, but is a companion to normal counselling or therapy. The author’s voice clearly shines through in her personal story and her encouragement to start the process. The rest is up to you to make the commitment for the time and exercises.”

“This kindle book of Freedom Writing; Be Free Through Writing Therapy by Suzanne Strong appealed to me because I actually have much to feel blessed about in life yet I do enjoy using writing as a tool to both continually grow my creativity and as a free vehicle for creative writing therapy. Suzanne Strong goes into what expressive writing entails and how it encourages more liberty emotion wise. Forms of writing therapy are discussed such as poetry, narrative, non-fiction/journaling, benefits of writing therapy, people’s experiences with writing therapy, and more.”

“I’ve always believed in writing therapy, even before I knew it was a thing. I would encourage people going through hard times to write down what they were experiencing, and then throw it away. This book is confirmation that writing therapy does help many people. I would recommend it to anyone who is struggling to overcome a hardship of any type.”

“A wonderful concept of writing to release, this book encourages anyone to put pen to paper, but more so those who have experienced difficult times. Many people don’t feel able to talk about their feelings and Suzanne suggests an alternative therapy of writing them down instead. These words need not be seen by others if you choose, but the idea of getting them ‘out’ there is an emotional release. A great guide to an alternative way of approaching problems.”

“Amazing book that is written brilliantly and has the potential to free those trapped in their own minds, by using the questions and suggestions Suzanne Strong introduces to you. By following her ideas it is possible to find freedom! Recommended.”

“This is a book that I would share with people that I care about. I highly recommend it!
Every now and then, I feel this compulsion in my heart to share my experiences, from little stories about my favourite books or movies to something a bit deeper like my beliefs and spiritual journey. After spending some time to put my thoughts together about whatever was on my mind and after I had written about it; whether I shared it or not, I felt a release from that heavy feeling in my chest. Through this book, I realized that it was part of the process of releasing my emotional burden which often held me back from moving on to other important tasks.

The author says in the book that writing therapy is not just for people who enjoy writing, but for anybody who has something to let go from their heart. While writing about our sources of anger, anxiety and other emotional burdens we carry on daily basis, the healing process is on!”

“I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Freedom Writing by Suzanne Strong. I experience a fair amount of stress in my life and have done for many years. I am so pleased to have discovered this book and have now began to implement the techniques into my life. I am excited as to how it will help me now and hopefully even more so into the future as I look back on my past and remember certain events that perhaps I don’t feel ready to discuss with others but might see it as beneficial to feel like I am sharing these with others. I highly recommend this book for those who suffer from stress, anxiety, depression and any other mental illness as well as for those who are looking for a way to get in touch with their inner thoughts and emotions.”

“A very insightful and enjoyable book! I highly recommend for anyone who has gone through a traumatic or stressful time in their lives and is looking for a way to heal. This book not only gives you valuable steps in order to start your own writing therapy but tells of others who have done the same. This book has personally encouraged me to start my own writing therapy and I have recommended this book to my family and friends.”

“I thought I had nothing to free myself from when I was recommended to this book. I’ve realized everyone has damage from ghosts of their past. I thought inner strength came from picking up those ghosts, shoving them in your back pocket and moving forwards. I never thought to ever look at them again or even evict the burden of them. You can be sooo much stronger and happier with a lighter load. So glad I found this book, worth 1000 times the amount, well done and thank you to the author.”

“I cannot recommend this book enough. The lessons and help that I received are invaluable, the techniques used are easy to apply, but the deeply moving experience was unexpected and provided complete release from issues that were buried. This book helped me so much and the potential for it to help people coming out of trauma,or a very stressful situation is enormous. I highly recommend this book.”